Teaching of the Sefat Emet (Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter יהודה אריה ליב אלתר, 15 April 1847 – 11 January 1905), second rebbe of Ger.
Teshuva
(א) אִם־תָּשׁ֨וּב יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל ׀ נְאֻם־ה׳ אֵלַ֖י תָּשׁ֑וּב וְאִם־תָּסִ֧יר שִׁקּוּצֶ֛יךָ מִפָּנַ֖י וְלֹ֥א תָנֽוּד׃ (ב) וְנִשְׁבַּ֙עְתָּ֙ חַי־ה׳ בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה וְהִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֛וֹ גּוֹיִ֖ם וּב֥וֹ יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃ {ס}
(1) If you return, O Israel—declares GOD—If you return to Me,If you remove your abominations from My presenceAnd do not waver, (2) And swear, “As GOD lives,” In sincerity, justice, and righteousness—Nations shall bless themselves by you And praise themselves by you.
Oaths and Intentions
(א) וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת, אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַה׳ (במדבר ל, ב ג), הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (ירמיה ד, ב): וְנִשְׁבַּעְתָּ חַי ה׳ בֶּאֱמֶת בְּמִשְׁפָּט וּבִצְדָקָה,
(1) “Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying: This is the matter that the Lord commanded:” (Numbers 30:2). “If a man takes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to impose a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane his word; he shall act in accordance with everything that emerges from his mouth” (Numbers 30:3). “Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes.… If a man takes a vow to the Lord” – that is what is written: “You will take an oath: As the Lord lives, in truth, in justice and in righteousness” (Jeremiah 4:2).
Torah and Prayer as a way to align action and intention
(ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (ה) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ו) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשׇׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ (ח) וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ט) וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזֻז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ {ס}
(4) Hear, O Israel! יהוה is our God, יהוה alone. (5) You shall love your God יהוה with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. (7) Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. (8) Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; (9) inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(ח) לֹֽא־יָמ֡וּשׁ סֵ֩פֶר֩ הַתּוֹרָ֨ה הַזֶּ֜ה מִפִּ֗יךָ וְהָגִ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה לְמַ֙עַן֙ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכׇל־הַכָּת֖וּב בּ֑וֹ כִּי־אָ֛ז תַּצְלִ֥יחַ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֖ךָ וְאָ֥ז תַּשְׂכִּֽיל׃
(8) Let not this Book of the Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful.